SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND FUEL CELL PERFORMANCE TESTS OF POLYVINYL ALCOHOL BASED COMPOSITE MEMBRANE WITH CLINOPTILOLITE SUPPORT

In this study it is aimed to synthesize a composite membrane with high proton conductivity, ion exchange capacity and high chemical stability, as an alternative to the perflourosulfonic acid membranes that widely used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (pemfcs). for this purpose pva based membranes containing hypophosphorous acid (h3po2) as additive and clinoptilolite in different ratios (%5, %10, %15, %20, %25, %30) were synthesized by means of classical sol-gel method. water holdup, swelling, ion exchange capacities, proton conductivity and fuel cell performance tests of synthesized membranes were carried out. highest performance values were obtained as 540 ma/cm2 at 0.6 v for the membrane containing 15% clinoptilolite. water holdup, change in thickness, surface area change, ion exchange capacity and proton conductivity values were obtained as 48%, 6%, 4%, 0.86 meq/g and 0.064 s/cm respectively, for this membrane. characterization experiments results are close to the values reported for the perfluorosulfonic acid membranes and hence promising for the use of these membranes in fuel cells.